Jesus Promises Another Helper
Indwelling of the Father and the Son
| << John 14:15 | John 14:17 >> |
What Does John 14:16 Mean?
John 14:16-17
The Holy Spirit is the power of God—not a personage, entity, consciousness, or part of the Godhead or a trinity. The Bible speaks of the Spirit as the power or mind of God, the power of love and of a sound mind. It emanates from Him and thus can be said to be "poured out" (Titus 3:5-6), "breathed" (John 20:22), and used to "fill" (Acts 2:4) and "anoint" (Acts 10:38).
Martin G. Collins
The Holy Spirit
John 14:15-18
This is a prophecy. When this was spoken, Jesus had not yet died, so He had not yet been resurrected and glorified. Thus, the Spirit was not yet given either. He shows another condition (in addition to the ones in John 7:37-39) for the giving of the Holy Spirit: "Keep My commandments."
Notice that the Spirit is described as being with and in. This clarifies the matter of coming to Christ. We have to be called and to respond. If we fail to do the latter, even though God's Spirit is "with" us—leading us to Christ—it will never be "in" us unless we respond and meet the conditions.
For the disciples at the time, the Spirit was with them—in Christ, teaching and guiding. However, a time was coming when it would be in them, literally. This did not occur until Pentecost, in Acts 2. So it is with us: The Spirit is with us before conversion, and it is by this means that God brings us to Christ.
If God did not do this miraculous work, the enmity against Him (Romans 8:7)—coupled with our spiritual confusion—would never permit the process of conversion even to start. Our calling is a tremendous act of mercy on God's part; it is a miraclethat we even respond. If it were not for that—for God's mercy in choosing us to be called—we would never make it off the starting block. God has to work a tremendous miracle even to get us to be willing to come to Christ and begin to learn.
John W. Ritenbaugh
The Covenants, Grace, and Law (Part Twelve)
John 14:15-17
Note well the condition for receiving this gift: We must keep His commandments.
Jesus gives a specific reason for gifting us with the Holy Spirit: that God may be in and with us forever. His wording is important in this regard. The Holy Spirit is power to be directly in contact with the God Family, but in this case, His phrasing emphasizes that the Holy Spirit is a Person. Though God is Spirit, we must fully grasp that, in this spiritual family relationship, we are dealing with real, living Persons of awesome power, generosity, mercy, and kindness who are willing to deliver us fully into their Family. Verse 23 reveals that the Holy Spirit is the Father and the Son, not a third person in a so-called Trinity.
John W. Ritenbaugh
Fully Accepting God's Sovereignty (Part Four)
Other Forerunner Commentary entries containing John 14:16:
Matthew 24:12-13
John 14:23
Acts 2:37-39
1 Corinthians 1:3
1 Corinthians 2:9-16
1 John 4:15-17
| << John 14:15 | John 14:17 >> |
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In John 14:16, Jesus promises to pray to the Father to send another Helper to abide forever with the disciples. This Helper, described as the Spirit of Truth, is not a separate entity but a figurative expression of Christ's return to them spiritually. The term "another" indicates a role similar to His previous presence, yet distinct as He would dwell within them. Jesus clarifies in verses 17-18 that the disciples already know this Helper, having a relationship with it, and He assures them, "I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you," emphasizing His spiritual return as the Helper, fully realized at Pentecost.